The winner of this week's poll is Coming Down From Rising Fawn, which was suggested as a Norman Blake tune. For those reading this discussions months from now, I just wanted to let you know that this is a scary time, around the world. We are in a pandemic, of Covid-19. Our normal world, no matter what it is, no matter where we are, has been turned upside down. It is my hope that all of you out there, are safe, and healthy, somewhere, most likely in some kind of isolation... at the very least, practicing 'social distancing'.... a term none of us had even heard a month ago! I have just gotten back to my home in Iowa. I'd spent the last 3 months at my home in Texas, and our departure back to Iowa was about a week earlier than we had planned (before this pandemic), and hasty, since county after county was ordering what amounts to 'shelter in place', and we needed to shelter in place on our farm in central Iowa! So, I'm going to let someone who might have a bit more time than I at this moment, to link to info about this week's winner!
I think Mandolin Cafe is helping many of us with isolation of social distancing. It's the physical distancing that needs to be addressed.
Ginny, I've been pretty absent these past few weeks! I have been practicing physical distancing for a while now! And extreme disinfecting, etc. on those few times I had to go out in public. Now that we are here on the farm, who KNOWS when I will be around people again!
This is the great benefit of this forum, Barbara. We are physically isolated peronally and globally, yet united in the SAW group. Bet you never thought of the immportance of this group when you first set it up! It was the SAW group that prompted me into posting on YouTube, and that was around 10 years ago now. Thanks again for keeping it going all those years Stay safe, and carry on posting.
We owned a horse farm for over ten years - best years of my life...you are lucky Barbara...you have company - just not humans - which..some say may be better. They don't talk back and actually appreciate you being with them.
I live a mile from the pavement and 1/4 mile from the nearest neighbor. But going to town for supplies seems like a surreal journey now. Anyway, here's the tune. Probably easier to learn it from James Bryan's fiddling than Norman's guitar playing. I've never learned this one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDIq0IKmQJY
Never even thought about learning it. Norman teaches it in his Homespun guitar series - and he tells Happy Traum that he wrote it on mandolin - but I've only ever heard him play it on guitar. I think you're right, either learn it from James' fiddling, or learn it first on guitar then reverse engineer it as best you can.
Thanks, Don, for posting the version with James Bryan. I've been scratching my head about adapting this from Blake's or Sutton's guitar videos. Coming at it from the fiddle is a little easier to see. I wonder why so many guitarists put on a capo and play this at the second fret, in A, instead of in G?
I guess they capo because Norman did on the original recording. Wonder why they played it in another key live--sounds like it was part of a medley? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZzvFd0SDc0
Yeah, he usually did play it with a capo, evidently. Not unusual for him change things up for any particular situation though. https://youtu.be/70QCONj5u04
OMG he wrote it on the mandolin!?! In A!!! And I just "learned it" in G on the mandolin. Back to the drawing board. Here's my first run at this ... in the wrong mandolin key.
That's lovely Mike!! - I change a key signature all the time - does it matter that it has to be the one the writer chose. many of our tunes come from other places and to transfer it to mandolin - I pick a key I'm comfortable with.
Here's my first run at this ... …quite nice, Mike! I would be very happy if I could do that.
A fine display of enviable virtuosity there, Mike.
Beautifully done, Mike. Who cares what key you want to play it in? You have the feel of it there.
Well done!
Sounds great, Mike. Love those picked triplets and the tone you're getting too.
Here's a version of the tune in mp3 format, posted by woodwizard a couple years ago in this thread Your browser does not support the audio element.
Here's what I came up with in the key of A. Trying to learn it from Norman's guitar part off the album version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy8Uk9nA4m0
Nice one Don, you have a great rhythm and musical feel holding this interesting tune together. Norman Blake has some wonderful tunes.
You've got it, Don. Well done.